Lyn Jones

Lyn Jones(born 1964) is aWalesinternationalrugby unionformer player. Originally playing as a flanker, Jones subsequently became a coach. He played most of his playing career forNeath RFCand started his coaching career at the same club. Jones has coached professional clubs in Wales and England and, in 2018, became head coach of theRussian national rugby union team.He subsequently became a coach with national rugby team of the Netherlands.

Lyn Jones

Birth name	Richard Lyn Jones
Date of birth	(1964-06-05)5 June 1964
Place of birth	Cwmavon, Neath Port Talbot,Wales
School	Ysgol Gyfun,Ystalyfera
Rugby union career
Position(s) Openside flanker Amateur team(s) Years Team Apps (Points) 1983–1990 Neath RFC () 1990–1994 Llanelli RFC () 1994 Treorchy RFC(player/coach) () International career Years Team Apps (Points) 1986 Wales B 2 (0) 1990 Wales A 1 (0) 1993 Wales 5 (0) Coaching career Years Team 1994 Treorchy RFC(player coach) 1994–2003 Neath RFC 2003–2008 Ospreys 2008 Ebbw Vale RFC(consultant) 2008–2009 NG Dragons(consultant) 2011–2013 London Welsh 2013–2016 NG Dragons(Director of Rugby) 2016–2018 Welwitschias 2018 Neath RFC(consultant) 2018–2021 Russia 2022– Netherlands

Personal

His sonLuc Jonesis a professional rugby union player with Jersey RFC. Jones often makes punditry appearances forBBC Cymru Wales'Scrum Vand coverage ofPro 14when in Wales.

Playing career

Jones began his elite playing career in 1983 forNeath RFC.At the club, he was described by Brian Thomas (Neath's team manager) as "The fittest, fastest, cleverest and best back-row forward in Britain".Towards the end of 1987, Jones suffered a severe knee injury taking him out of rugby for over a year. On returning to Neath mid-way through the 1988/89 season, Jones took a sabbatical from rugby for personal reasons.He returned to the club in March 1990 where he struggled to find form and make a way back into the side. For the 1990/91 season - the season that launched theWelsh Premiership- Jones moved toLlanelli RFC.

It was at Llanelli where Jones made more of a name for himself, achieving the Premiership title in 1993 and consecutiveWelsh Cuptitles in 1991, 1992 and 1993. It was in 1993 where Jones finally got his international chance forWales,being selected forWales' experimental tourto Africa due to the absence of the Welsh first-team players being involved in theLions tour to New Zealand.He earned his first cap on 22 May 1993, starting at 7 againstZimbabwe.With rumoured issues within the club, Jones left Llanelli for the 1994/1995 season and joinedTreorchy RFCwho has just been promoted to Division 1.It was at Treorchy where Jones began to coach, acting as a player-coach for theRhondda Valleybased team.

However, following a premature end to his playing career, Jones parted way with Treorchy and return toThe Gnollto become Head Coach at Neath.

Coaching career

Early days: Neath and Ospreys

Entering the start of the professional era ofrugby unionin Wales, Jones led Neath to qualification of theHeineken Cup.Their European form proved an advantage in the Welsh leagues, with Neath winning both the Premiership and Welsh Cup in 1996, the latter title one they reclaimed in 2001. In Neath debut season of the1996–97 Heineken Cup,Neath narrowly missed out on a knock-out spot behindBriveandHarlequins.Jones' time at Neath saw him unlock a number of later World Class international. It was Jones that signed up an unsuccessful district scrum-half and helped turnShane Williamsin to a quality winger.

At the turn of regional rugby in 2003, Jones remained with his region to coach the collectiveNeath-Swansea Ospreysteam. Their first season saw the team fall in the2003–04 Heineken Cup,finishing bottom of their pool. However they showed promise in the2003–04 Celtic League,form which they continued into the next season by claiming the2004–05 Celtic Leaguetitle. It wasn't until the2006–07 Heineken Cupseason where the Ospreys made way in the competition; despite not making the knock out round, the Ospreys had finished second in their pool and narrowly missing on finishing top or as the best runner-up. Although they did secure their second Celtic League title, after beating theNewport Gwent Dragons27–13 to finish top of the table.

In May 2008, Jones left the region by mutual agreement, shortly after winning the EDF Anglo/ Welsh Cup againstLeicester Tigers.He leaves the region after a successful 14 years as a coach with Neath that formed a large part of the region.

Part-time coaching

During the 2008/09 Welsh Premiership season, Jones acted as a part-time consultant forEbbw Vale RFC.His dealing with the Newport Gwent Dragons coachPaul Turnerwhile with Ebbw Vale, saw Jones later become an attack consult for the region at the back end of 2008.However the time at the region was short lived, after he left his post in February 2009 to take up a post at anAbu Dhabischool.

London Welsh

In June 2011, Jones was appointed head coach ofLondon Welsh.He immediately gaining promotion to then Aviva Premiership for2012/13.Jones made some good signings to make his team competitive, includingRugby World Cupwinning scrum-halfPiri Weepu.Their first ever game in the Premiership was against 2012 runners-up Leicester Tigers, of which they won 38–13. Their first victory came in round 3, after they beatExeter Chiefs25–24, with the victory backed up the following week away toSale Sharks;29–19. The season continued to look promising after they gained their win by the eighth round. At the halfway point of the season, London Welsh sat 12 points clear of relegation sitting in 10th place. After losing toSale Sharks,who sat in the relegation zone, in round 15, London Welsh found themselves crashing down the table.

On 7 March 2013, London Welsh were deducted 5 points due to player registration irregularities, and the appeal was denied and the deduction upheld.This saw London Welsh fall to the bottom of the table, and in danger of relegation. Despite a final win in the last round againstWorcester Warriors,London Welsh were comfortable relegated from the Premiership. Jones later left the club after the club agreed to release him a year early for personal reasons.

Return to Wales

With-in a week of leaving London Welsh, Jones joined theNewport Gwent Dragonsas Director of Rugby.

His first match in charge was a 15–8 win overUlsterin the opening round of the2013–14 Pro12season. In round 3, Jones helped the Dragons end a 10-match losing run against theScarletsafter a comprehensive 23–16 victory.By the end of the season, Jones had improved the Dragons positioning from the previous season up to 9th on the table and with 7 wins. The 2014/15 season proved even more successful, with the advancement to the knock-out rounds of the2014–15 European Rugby Challenge Cup,only to lose toEdinburgh45–16 in the semi-final.

After another poor run of form in the2015–16 Pro12,the pressure built on the Newport Gwent Dragons management. In April 2016, Jones missed the Dragons2015–16 European Rugby Challenge Cupquarter-final win overGloucesterdue to illness,and a fortnight later, Jones left the club by mutual consent after a period away through illness.

Welwitschias

In November 2016, theNamibia Rugby Unionannounced the appointment of Jones as the head coach of theWelwitschias– a Namibian team playing in theSouth AfricaCurrie Cupcompetition - where he would work with the national head coach WelshmanPhil Davies.He first took the side into the2017 Rugby Challengebefore taking the team into the2017 Currie Cup First Division.Although his side finished seventh, the competition Namibian players games of a higher level and intensity that they would receive in Namibian's own competition.

Jones remained with the side for 2018, despite also acting as a consultant for Neath RFC in February 2018 until the end of the Welsh season. Following the conclusion of the2018 Rugby Challengein June 2018, Jones announced he would leave the Namibian side to return home to Wales.

Russia

On leaving Namibia, Jones was due to retake the reigns as head coach at Neath RFC, until it was officially announced that Jones would become the head coach of theRussian national teamahead of the2019 Rugby World Cup.

Jones' first match in charge was a 47–20 victory overNamibia,in what was the first meeting between the two nations hosted by Russia. He later led his side to a 17–10 defeat at the hands of his former club, the Dragons, before narrowly going down toJapan32–27.

In Jones' first international major campaign, Russia finished fourth in the2019 Rugby Europe Championship,with just two victories to their name; 64–7 overBelgiumand 26–18 overGermany.In June 2019, Russia returned to theWorld Rugby Nations Cupfor the first time in two years, acting as preparation for the World Cup.They finished second after beating Namibia andArgentina XV.

Honours

Playing

Neath RFC

• Welsh Club Champions
  • Winners: 1990
• WRU Cup
  • Runners-up: 1984

Llanelli RFC

• Welsh Premiership
  • Winners: 1993
• WRU Cup
  • Winners: 1991, 1992, 1993

Coaching

Neath RFC

• Welsh Premiership
  • Winners: 1996
• WRU Cup
  • Winners: 1996, 2001

Ospreys

• Celtic League
  • Winners:2005,2007
• Anglo-Welsh Cup
  • Winners: 2008
  • Runners-up: 2007

London Welsh

• RFU Championship
  • Winners: 2012 (Promotion)

Russia

• World Rugby Nations Cup
  • Runners-up: 2019

External links

• Lyn Jonesat ESPNscrum